Attorneys representing Adidja Palmer, also called Vybz Kartel, have filed an application for the immediate release of their client along with two of his co-accused as they await a hearing on whether they will be re-tried for murder next month.
The Court of Appeal will hear arguments on June 10, 2024, whether Kartel and his co-accused Shawn ‘Shawn Storm’ Campbell, Andre St. John and Kahira Jones should be re-tried for the 2011 murder of Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams.
The hearing comes following the ruling by the Privy Council in March that the men did not receive a fair trial, quashing their murder conviction and ordering that the matter be remitted to the Court of Appeal for a decision. The Court of Appeal hearing next month will decide on the way forward after hearing arguments for and against a retrial based on law and facts. The artist and his co-accused have been incarcerated since 2011.
On Monday, the Gleaner reported that attorneys representing three of the four men were seeking their release via a Habeas Corpus application to the court. Such an application is made to the court urging that it exercises its power to examine the circumstances of the continued detention of a person in custody and where satisfied that the detention is unlawful or unjustifiable, order that the detained person be released unconditionally.
The application, however, is only for Kartel, Campbell, and Andre St John. Kahira Jones will remain in custody as he completes his 18-year sentence for wounding with intent in the shooting of Chevallo Rodney in 2009. Jones was charged with wounding with intent, illegal possession of a firearm, and illegal possession of ammunition and was out on bail at the time when he was arrested in connection to the killing of Clive Williams along with Kartel and others in 2011.
The victim had survived the shooting in 2009 and gave a statement to police naming Jones as the shooter. He was killed two years later, but police have not linked his killing to Jones.
In the meantime, attorneys for Kartel, Campbell, and Jones were unreachable for commenting on the habeas corpus application.
